Public Humanities Professorship

Designed to reward our most promising public humanities scholars with a title, time, and dedicated research and professional development funds, Public Humanities Professorships are awarded based on excellence in public-facing humanisitc scholarship and a commitment to speak in accessible ways to a variety of audiences, both within and outside academia. 

The three-year professorship provides $4,000 in funding each year to the recipient, to support their research, creative projects, and professional development, as well as $5,000 per year to their home unit to support one course release. The Taft Professor of Public Humanities is expected to provide an annual lecture/event to the UC community, serve on the Taft Director’s advising committee, and participate in Center activities.

Applications for the Public Humanities Professorship are due no later than 5pm on March 22.

Applications are limited to tenured and tenure-track faculty with primary appointments in either a Taft member unit or the College of Arts & Sciences with a terminal degree in a Taft member field who have a demonstrated track record in public-facing humanisitc scholarship and a commitment to speak in accessible ways to a variety of audiences, both within and outside academia. Faculty with a strong reputation for public scholarship and/or creative work who have a clear plan for the three year professorship will be most competitive. Open to advanced assistant, associate, and full professors. 

Awardees remain eligible for other awards.

Applications are due by 5pm EST on the day of the specified deadline. Applicants should email their application materials as one PDF file to taft@uc.edu with "Taft Professor of Public Humanities" in the subject line.

A complete application must include the following:

1. Three-page letter outlining your past accomplishments, current and future research/creative activity as they relate to the public humanities and a detailed plan for the next three years in this professorship
2. Complete CV
3. Names of two recommenders, external to UC, who can speak to your public scholarly/creative impact, that will submit letters on your behalf. We welcome additional letters from community partners. Recommenders will email their letters to taft@uc.edu with “Letter of recommendation for [applicant’s name]” in the subject line.

 Please contact Stephanie Sadre-Orafai (sadreose@ucmail.uc.edu) or Sean Keating-Crawford (keatins@ucmail.uc.edu) with questions.

The award provides a title for a three-year period, $4,000 in funding each year to the recipient, to support their research, creative projects, and professional development, as well as $5,000 per year to their home unit to support one course release, for a total of $27,000 over the three-year period of the professorship. Each annual $9,000 allotment must be spent during the same fiscal year as the award granted unless prior approval from the Taft Director.

The Taft Professor of Public Humanities is expected to provide an annual lecture/event to the UC community, serve on the Taft Director’s advising committee, and participate in Center activities.